


soul

by talesofthelotus



Series: XINGTOBER 2020 [6]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Ancient China, Chinese Mythology & Folklore, Gen, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Reincarnation, Zhang Yixing's Birthday 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:01:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26951818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/talesofthelotus/pseuds/talesofthelotus
Summary: it was nothing like what his mother had told him; not a mirror of the world he was familiar with, nor a place of tranquility where he could bask in the comfort his imperial status had granted.
Relationships: Wu Yi Fan | Kris & Zhang Yi Xing | Lay
Series: XINGTOBER 2020 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1959373
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	soul

**Author's Note:**

> tw/ brief mentions of implied suicide and self-harm (non-explicit).
> 
> King Yan – the God of Death and the ruler of Diyu as recognized in Chinese mythology.

It was nothing like what his mother had told him; not a mirror of the world he was familiar with, nor a place of tranquility where he could bask in the comfort his imperial status had granted. It was cold. It was dark. It was lonely. 

_ It _ was the afterlife, and Yixing was falling.

Despite this indefinite demise, Yixing felt at peace—maybe it was King Yan’s way of punishing him for abruptly cutting his own life short: an eternal fall to torment the young emperor. Closing his eyes, Yixing accepted his fate, allowing nothing but a single tear to flicker off his lashes and into the darkness. His lips curled into a small smile as he recounted his life in the overworld; a youthful, loving son who was a kind and fair ruler of a prosperous nation. What a shame it was for him to be slowly eaten alive by the monsters in his head, sewing threads of self-doubt and hatred into his conscience. By then, the afterlife felt like safe haven.

_ It _ was enticing, and Yixing fell head first.

The delicate robes on his body began coming loose, pieces of soft garment peeling from him like dead skin. And with every lost fabric, a piece of himself followed suit. The emperor was nothing but a blank slate, bare and vulnerable. Suddenly, soft, fleeting touches caressed Yixing, before what felt like rolls upon rolls of soft silk began wrapping his limbs and torso, cocooning him. Terrified, he started grabbing the fabric, forcefully trying to tug away at them. The muffled grunts faded out gradually, it was hopeless, the silks were bound to him as if they were replacing the skin he had shed.

_ It _ was suffocating, and Yixing was lost. 

A foreign voice—a man’s— was calling out for him from the depths, frantic. But a loud ringing noise quickly began overwhelming the echoes and before he knew it, everything was white, everything was silent. Slowly, Yixing opened his eyes, grimacing as he tried to adjust. He was met with a white ceiling. He hastily sat up and let his gaze trail downward hesitantly. He was in a strange room as plain as day, on a bed that was far from what he was used to. It reminded him of the palace prison cells, but much cleaner and whiter. Dismissing the weird layout of the room, He scanned his body: the robes he was dressed in were of a cheap blue material, but that wasn’t what made him panic. His arms were littered in scars and callouses, ones that won’t fade with time. “Yixing, calm down.” The voice said. “Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth...just like that. Can you look at me?” His head subconsciously turned towards the sound of the voice. The voice’s owner was not someone Yixing recognized. He was holding back tears. He was beautiful and for some reason, it soothed him.

_ It _ was over, and Yixing was found.


End file.
